Bituminous-coal fuel.



sra rns PATENT -ICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 7. 1906. Serial No. 320,608.

Patented Sept. 11, 1906.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, MICHAEL ANDES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wilkes- Barre, in the county of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Bituminous-Coal Fuel, of which the following is a specification.

My 1present invention relates to composite fuel, t e object being to produce a fuel-body or briquet possessing the requisite stability or cohesion and so organized that while substantially bituminous in character it will bons, the heating of which renders the bodyburn without the excessive coking or caking 'This peculiarity of bituminous coal is due to the fact that it is rich in volatile hydrocarof coal soft and adhesive.

Many efforts have been made to form fuelbodies of bituminous-coal slack. Such bodies have either been combined with binders in a manner to produce an unstable structure which would readily crumble, or the composition has been such that the fuel would cake and coke in the manner of ordinary bituminous coal. As the result of a series of experiments I have found that by combining a comparatively small percentage of anthracite-coal slack with a comparatively large ercentage of bituminous-coal slack in a ho y which is given the requisite stability by a small percentage of cement a free-burnin fuel of excellent quality and one which will not coke or cake excessively when burned may be produced.

In reparing the fuel I thoroughly intermix t e comparatively large quantity of bituminous-coal slack with the comparatively small quantity of anthracite-coal slack, the

ratio being greater than two to one, and preferably about four to one. .I then add and intermix a comparatively small quantity of Portlandor other suitable cement, water being gradually added to the mass until it be comes sufiiciently lastic tq be spread on a suitable surface, where it is left to dry and adhere when heated.

set. If blocks of regular size are desired, the material may be suitably scored before drying, or the layer when dried may be broken 'into lumps of suitable'size for furnace use.

Similarly, the mass instead of being spread upon a flat surface for drying, as heretofore sgated, may be molded into any deslred s a e.

B y reason of the preponderance of the bituminous-coal slack the fuel will have the general burning qualities of bituminous coal, but the objectionable fusing or caking will be materially reduced by reason of the incorporation of the hard anthracite part cles throughout the structure, such particles forming separations between many of .the bituminous particles or bodies which would otherwise contact with each other and readily These anthracite articles furthermore improve the q liality o the fuel for the reason that they are s ow-burning and maintain a condition of incandescence for a longer period than the bituminous par ticles, thus causing the complete consump:

tion of many of the bituminous articles which would otherwise be merely co ed. It

will therefore be seen that the predominance of the bituminous slack is material, since it is desired to secure a fuel which is primarily bituminous in character, but which will not possess. the objectionable characteristics common to bituminous briquets. For instance, the volume of smoke liberated by the combustion of bituminous fuel be greatly reduced, probably from one-third to one-half, while the briquets can be stored and transported in large quantities and in'all lands of weather without danger of spontaneous combustion, crumbling, or other disintegration. Attention is further directed to the fact that the cement not only lends stability .to the fuel structure, but also opposes to a considerable degree the caking and consequent coking of the fuel, because it extends substan' tially throughout the mass and partially occludes the individual particles 0 coal. percentage of cement is relatively small, being just sufficient to act as a binder for the particles Without necessarily filling all of the interstic'es. The body of fuel will therefore be The of more or less spongy or porous appearance and will burn freely until practically consumed.

In referring to both the bituminous and anthracite coal'l have used the term slack.

This term is to be accorded its ordinary paratively small quantity of anthracite-coal meaningto wit, small coal, coal dirt, slack, the bituminous and, anthracite slack or screenings. being in substantially the proportion of four 15 What I claim is I to one, and a binder of cement.

5 r 1.- A fuel-body consistingof a predominat- In testimony that I claim the foregoing, as ing quantity of bituminouscoal'slack, a my own I have hereto affixed my signature cfmEarafiivey (simall quantityhof anthracit? in the presence of'two witnesses. v sac an a in er 0 cement, t e uantit 0 bituminous slack being more 'thaii twice the MICHAEL ANDES' to quantity of anthracite slack. Witnesses:

2. A fuel-body consisting of a predominat- JAM-Es L. LENAHAN, ing quantity of bituminous-coal slack, a com- C. B. LENAHAN. 

